Ryde Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend this school. Leaders and staff are ambitious for all pupils. They encourage them to 'find their remarkable'.

Success is regularly celebrated. Students in the sixth form appreciate the messages sent to their parents that praise them for their commitment to learning.

There is a calm and orderly environment.

Pupils feel that the behaviour management system is clear and fair. This helps them to behave well. Many pupils know that a small group of pupils still need support to improve their behaviour.

Leaders' work with these pupils is ongoing.

Relationships between adults and pupils are strong. This helps pupils to feel ...safe.

They told inspectors that staff listen to them and help them when they need it. Bullying is rare and most pupils feel that staff are effective at dealing with it. Leaders respond in a swift and robust manner when bullying is reported.

Students in the sixth form value the opportunity to take on positions of responsibility. Some students support younger pupils to improve their reading. Others act as leaders of groups such as the antibullying ambassadors.

This helps foster strong relationships between year groups and builds leadership skills in older students.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Most curriculum leaders have identified the important knowledge and skills they want pupils to know and when they should learn it.

In most subjects, the curriculum is well sequenced. In a small number of subjects, the curriculum at key stage 3 is not as ambitious as the national curriculum. Currently, too few pupils in key stage 4 study the group of subjects that makes up the English Baccalaureate.

However, leaders have firm plans to address this in the future.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They provide pupils with many opportunities to recap learning from the last lesson, last week and last month.

This helps pupils to practise skills and remember more. New learning builds on previously learned skills and knowledge. Teachers use regular assessment to systematically identify gaps in pupils' learning.

Pupils value 'red pen marking' where they identify their own mistakes or misconceptions. They take responsibility for rectifying errors. Teachers monitor and check pupils' responses.

Leaders ensure that there is swift identification of the needs of disadvantaged pupils and those pupils with SEND. However, strategies to adapt the curriculum for these pupils are not yet consistent enough. This means that disadvantaged pupils and those pupils with SEND are not achieving their very best outcomes progressing through the curriculum.

Leaders appreciate the importance of reading. Pupils read every day in tutor time. This helps them to read widely and form positive habits.

A well-resourced library encourages pupils' love of reading. Support for those pupils at the earliest stages of reading is strong. Expert staff identify pupils who need support and use a variety of strategies to help pupils catch up.

The sixth form is growing. Students and staff share high aspirations. Teaching in the sixth form is effective and helps students to think deeply and work independently.

This means that students are well prepared for the next stages in their education. All students progress into a range of academic or vocational destinations.

Leaders place a high priority on the wider personal development of pupils.

Leaders have designed a robust curriculum of personal, social and health education (PSHE) combined with relationships and sex education. This teaches pupils about sexual health and relationships in an age-appropriate manner from Year 7 to the sixth form. Extra-curricular activities take place in a range of subjects.

Dance and drama activities are very popular.

The provision of careers advice, information and guidance is a strength of the school. Pupils appreciate the support they receive on a personal level.

Leaders ensure that students in the sixth form visit a range of higher education institutions and receive advice about apprenticeships and other employment opportunities. Students in Year 12 all participate in meaningful work experience. This helps them make informed choices about their future.

Leaders' work to improve attendance has not yet been robust enough. Recently, enhanced attendance procedures are slowly helping to make improvements. Leaders have reduced the number of removals from class due to poor behaviour.

As a result, pupils spend more time learning vital skills and knowledge in lessons.

Those responsible for governance are aspirational for the school and the community it serves. They provide leaders and staff with support and challenge that is accelerating improvement.

Staff are proud to work at this school. They know that leaders are considerate of their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and staff are diligent in how they protect children from potential risk of harm. Leaders ensure that everyone understands their role in ensuring pupils are safe. Staff receive timely training and know how to identify if a pupil is at risk of harm.

Pupils learn about keeping safe in assemblies and the PSHE curriculum.

Experienced leaders oversee pastoral care and safeguarding. They know when to refer to other agencies and offer appropriate support to families.

Leaders meet regularly to review cases. This helps them spot patterns and respond appropriately. Recruitment processes are meticulously managed by the multi-academy trust.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small minority of subjects, the curriculum in key stage 3 does not cover content that has the same ambition as the national curriculum. This means that pupils do not extend their learning from key stage 2 and do not learn all the content that they should. Leaders must ensure that curriculum thinking in these subjects enables pupils to enjoy an equally broad and ambitious curriculum as in other subjects.

• Curriculum adaptations for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND are not embedded throughout the school. Consequently, some staff do not consistently provide effective support for these pupils. Leaders should ensure that curriculum adaptations are fully embedded so that disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND achieve their best outcomes progressing through the curriculum.

• Leaders' work to improve attendance has not yet been sufficiently robust and a small number of pupils' absence remains too high. These pupils are missing vital elements of school life. Leaders need to work closely with pupils, parents and external agencies to ensure that attendance improves and that all pupils attend school regularly.